President Bush today said he is "deeply concerned by today’s appeal to President Medvedev by Russia’s Federation Council and Duma, the upper and lower houses of Russia’s parliament, to recognize the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent countries," and calls on Russia’s leadership to meet its commitments and not recognize the separatist regions.
"Georgia’s territorial integrity and borders must command the same respect as every other nation’s, including Russia’s," the president said in a statement issued by the office of the White House press secretary.
Bush points out that Russia agreed, when President Medvedev signed the French-brokered ceasefire agreement, to “the opening of international discussions on security and stability modalities in Abkhazia and South Ossetia,” which he says represents an internationally endorsed approach to these issues which recognition would undercut.
Bush said recognition also would be inconsistent with unanimously approved U.N. Security Resolutions that Russia has consistently voted for in the past.
"The United States will continue to stand with the people of Georgia and their democracy and to support its sovereignty and territorial integrity," Bush reassured.
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